Can anyone offer experience on collecting archival material from museums and other cultural institutions in your area, what you collect and what you don't collect, and why?
 
The reason I ask is that we have been collecting archival material from a local consortia of institutions that include a museum, a symphony, a theater, and an art college.  For decades, it seems that staff have accepted material and sometimes I feel we have become a document dump for this consortia.  In addition to photographs, film, audio, and video (most of which the institutions could not legally transfer copyright) we have accepted random sets of office files, and other textual material that does not contain much research value. On the other hand, we have received lots of material that documents the great art and performances these institutions are known for.
 
I am responsible for coming up with some guidelines for what our institution will accept from these institutions, and later meeting with representatives of each to let them know what our collecting parameters are, and thought it might help to get other's perspective.
 
Many thanks in advance,
 
Paul Crater
Senior Archivist
Altanta History Center
404.814.4049
 
 


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